Category: Engaged and Participatory Research Fund

Sally Palmer, Senior Lecturer and developmental psychologist in the School of Education, and Maria Clarke, Dorset Local Nature Partnership (DLNP) Manager, share experiences from their recent Engaged and Participatory Research funded project, investigating the driving factors in young people’s engagement with environmental issues. 

Professor Emma Pitchforth, Dr Joanne Morrison, and Victoria Cullimore explain the process behind Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) on their recent study, Postnatal Intervention for Cervical Screening. This work was supported by our 2025-6 Engaged and Participatory Research Fund, to help the research team gain lived experience perspectives ahead of the next phase of the project.

Professors Marisa Lazzari and Ioana Oltean from the Department of Archaeology and History share insights into their longstanding collaboration with Fundación Tiempos, an Argentinian organisation dedicated to sustainable and future-focussed heritage preservation. With support from our Engaged and Participatory Research Fund, this project helped support inclusive approaches to heritage in northwestern Argentina.

Dr Jess Marshall talks about the Growing Belonging project, investigating the connection between belonging and community participation, and how research can begin to measure the outcomes of this. This work was supported by our Engaged and Participatory Research Fund for the 2025-6 academic year.

Dr Daniel Fountain tells us about the development of “Queerly Made”, which explores the legacy of craft in the LGBTQ+ communities, and looks at tackling the challenges of underrepresentation in national craft collections. Support from our Engaged and Participatory Research Fund has helped bring this subject to new audiences through workshops and exhibitions in the Tees Valley.

In our final blog piece from our 2024-25 cohort of Engaged and Participatory Research Fund awardees, Lucy Kirkland tells us more about Community Conversations about Cancer, a project which investigated inequalities and underrepresentation in cancer diagnosis, working with a network of community partners across Exeter.

Dr Federico Botta shares insights from his team’s collaboration with Exeter Science Centre, in which both parties sought to better understand Exeter residents’ views on urban liveability, supported by the 2024-25 Engaged and Participatory Research Fund. 

Professor Federico Caprotti and Dr Whitney Pailman share updates on their work exploring the relationship between community resilience, entrepreneurship, economic mobility and navigating infrastructure disruptions in urban, informal settlements in South Africa. With support from the Engaged and Participatory Research Fund, the researchers worked closely with local residents and policymakers.

Tim Hughes tells us about recent work completed with Loveland, a community field project based in Falmouth, which invites local people to get involved in food growth and sustainability. With support from our Bridging Communities Fund, Loveland’s work has continued to grow, inviting new audiences to explore their natural surroundings.

Dr Safi Darden talks about her recent project, B-HUGS, supported as part of the 2024-25 Engaged and Participatory Research Fund. This work draws on interdisciplinary expertise, looking to address rissues of educational belonging for Black youth in Devon.